Statewide Parcel Mapping Project Moving Forward
- Details
Imagine having up-to-date information on ownership and generalized boundaries for every parcel in Vermont, at your fingertips. This is well on its way to becoming reality, as we found out at a recent Statewide Parcel Mapping Project update meeting.
WRC hosted the meeting in January 2019 for town officials in conjunction with the Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI). The goal of the project is to create current, standardized parcel data across the state that is linked to each town’s grand list. So far, 14 towns in the Windham Region have these standardized data. You can use the Vermont Parcel View web app to access these new data. The remaining towns should be available by early 2020. WRC created parcel maps for Somerset in 2013, and like many other contractors, are working to bring the town’s data up to the new standards.
It’s worth mentioning that while it’s the “Statewide Property Parcel Mapping Project,” it is less about actual mapping and more about updating and standardizing GIS parcel data. Paper maps, and improvements to the accuracy of parcel lines, are not part of this project. Still, having information on generalized parcel boundaries (note the word “generalized;” these are tax maps, not surveys) and property ownership as conveyed in the Grand List publicly available in one place is huge! Everyone benefits, from town officials to residents, surveyors, foresters, planners, real estate agents, homebuyers, hunters, developers, natural resource specialists…the list goes on.
A bill in the legislature this year contains two initiatives tied to parcel mapping: 1) creating a central library of digital parcel surveys, and 2) requiring a survey for property line changes (e.g. subdivisions). Easily accessible digital survey data would potentially make tax map updates, and improvements to accuracy, easier.
For more information, contact Tim Terway at VCGI, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Jeff Nugent at WRC, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
